particularly the assad government. i mean these are people they have been fighting now for almost two years. patti ann: yeah. >> so it's not in the cards. patti ann: yeah. and the plan is vague when it comes to assad specifically during that summer meeting in geneva. there was a push to call specifically for assad's ouster but russia opposed that. and as you say, assad is not going to go quietly. russia though very involved. how important is russia's role in all of this? >> we certainly tried to use russia to have influence over the assad regime, one to get a cease-fire, two, to remove assad, you know, from power. the russians have always pushed back on that. listen, the relationship with syria is in their national interests. they have got a port on the mediterranean that is in syria, a military base. it is very important to them strategically. i don't think you will see a real hand being played by russia until they know for a fact that assad is going to go. patti ann: meanwhile though, the envoy, lack tau brahimi is m